Spoken words

Photo essay: Saying what you have to say, in public

by Azadeh Azad
23-Jun-2008
 
Afternoon, Bastion Square, Victoria, BC, Canada. June 8: A group of performers entered the public square unannounced, one by one, joining into pairs or trios for a few minutes, and then performing solo. Each had their own object and their own form of vocalisation: lists, ambiguous sounds, songs, spoken texts. It was about things they needed to say; things needed to be said; sounds they wanted to make - societal, sociological, political, cultural, explorations, issues. It was mostly improvised. When joined in twos or threes, their sounds, songs or words were synchronised. In this place filled with locales and tourists from every corner of the world, they performed for an hour and exited in reverse order, leaving behind objects they had brought with them for their own reasons, but were ones they wished to give away or abandon.

The initiator and curator of this street performance, Judie Price, did not publicise it because she wanted them to be unexpected; for participants to seemingly appear at random in a specific location, disrupt the usual activity, then quietly disappear, leaving local residents and visitors wondering what happened and why. She was hoping that by shifting perceptual expectations of familiar spaces, their actions might contribute to the altering of the way people usually experience the world around them.

These are photocopied photos of some of the performances.
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Shouting Square

by Abol Danesh (not verified) on

... I have heard that in Japan there are certain disignated places that people can go and shout what ever they wish without any penalty (instead of shouting outloud in your own car with windows closed)... it is similar to catholic confidential confession of the sinner behind -- but quiet--the curtain where the priest hides and listens so the individual can release all his built up psychoci tension build up (Safety valve) withut later on explosive ...consequences...

As long as the psychologist and psychiatrist don't mind getting their pockets hit it is a good idea to have similar square where people with utter confidence or penalty can tell whatever they wish outloud...

It is reported Ali was talking outloud alone to a well to release his tension and complain about allah injustice....

Scream your head off baby and today and don't leave home without it!